Improvement in horse hay-rakesv



G. M. L. McMILLEN.

HoRsE HAY RAKE.

Patented May 30,1876.

1110312601.- FwM/fz N. FETERS. PNOTO-UTHOGRAPH UNITED STATES PATENT vFritsnii.

GILBQERT M. L; MCMILLEN, oF DAYToN, onio.

IMPROVEMENT `IN HoRsE l-lj/fitv-'mLifluas.

Specific'ation forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,950, dated May 30, 1876; application-filed l March 21, 1876.

To all whom z't may concern: V y.

Be it known that I, GEBERT M. L. MGMIL- LEN, of Dayton, in' tl'recounty of Montgomery- 4parts, the draft of the horse is made to assist in elevating the teeth toI discharge the collected load.

My improvements consist in the novel construction and arrangement ofa sliding and revolving axle and the mechanism for operating it; also, in the general arrangement of parts, as1 will be herewith described, and the invention distinctly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and 'use the same, I would thus proceed to describe it, referring to `the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved rake. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, with a wheel removed and part of the shaft broken away to show the operating devices. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved tooth-fastener applied to a broken portion of the axle.

Corresponding lettersof reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A A represent 'the thills,. braced by the cross-beams B and C, and having two metallic bearing-boxes, D, one for each thill, bolted to their under sides at the rear, Fig. 2. The inner top sides of these boxes are racks, that engage with pinions a, keyed upon the round.l

axle E, which passes through the boxes. The axle and the frame-Work are' supported upon the Wheels F in the usual manner.

By reference to Fig. 3 the shape of the topthfastener is seen. l It consists of a wrought-iron plate or strip with a bent portion, b, that'conforms to the rotundity of the axle, `and an upright rearwardly-inclining portion, c, that has a vertical slot through it a little wider than the rake-tooth. The bent portion is also slotted With a circular opening at the end of the slot sufficiently wide l'to allow it to be passed over the head of a screw or bolt, d, that is fastened i'n theV axle'. ATo' secure the fastener it is'on'ly necessary to pass the circular opening over the 'head of 'the screimairdJ move it until the head of the screw covers the narrow part of the slot, when a few turns of the screw securely Clamps the fastener in place. The tooth is then passed through the slot in the upright portion c, and its rear end bent Vinto a loop, as seen, which is contined in the lower bent portion of the` fastener, which forms its pivotal bearing.

H is a supporting-bar, bolted to the rear sides of the boxes D, and over which the rake-teeth I lie. From the rear side of this bar the cleaners M extend. J is the hand-lever, pivoted to the bearing e. Its lower end is the segment of a pinion, that engages with a smaller pinion, f, keyed upon the short shaft g, that is pivotedin the bearings e and h, which are secured upon the cross-beams B and C. Upon the opposite end of the shaft from the pinion is keyed a crank, t', Fig. l, from which a metal strip, t, proceeds to the axle, around which it is loosely looped. The seat Kis supported upon the cross-beams B and C in any convenient manner.

'I'he operation of the rake is as follows: When` a load has been collected the driver draws4 toward hiin the hand-lever J, thereby turning the crank fi, which forces back the strip Z, and with it the axle, which, as it moves, is caused to turn by the action of the racks upon the pinions a.. Since the teeth are secured upon'the axle they are raised, and the load is removed by its gravity and the action of the cleaners.

It will be noticed .that by the employment of the operating-gearing the teeth do not fall back to raking position with a sudden jar and strain, as is the case in mostrakes, but they fall back easily, and as soon as the crank i is turned to a dead-center, when further movelnent is limited by a pin in the bearing, the axle is rigidly looked, and the use of a footlever for such purpose is thereby dispensed with. It will be further noticed that as soon as the driver, drawing the hand-lever toward him, breaks the dead-center of the crank the `draft of the horse pulling upon the thills,

which have on their under sides the racks engaging Wit-h the pinions upon the axle at a 5 point some distance above its center, vaids very materially in efi'ectuating the discharge of the hay. Another point to be noticed is that as the axle moves back, While in the act of turning, the teeth are carried back-from the load, and leave it without lifting`V it, as most rakes do, thereby lightening considerably the labor of both the horse and driver. As the teeth move baek the eleaner-sticks remain stationary, and act with a drawing motion upon such of the hay as may have clung to the teeth.

Having thus f ully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The circular axle E, with the teeth fast- .ened toit, arranged to slide backward and for- Ward in relation to the thills, and at the same time revolve to elevate the teeth by the action of the pinions a, and the racks, secured upon the under side of the thills, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination and arrangement of the hand-lever J, shaft g, with its pinion f and crank i, and the strip l, connecting the crank and axle, in the' manner and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the thills A, bearingboxes D, axle E, bar H, and rake-tceth I, When the respective parts are arranged in the manner and for the purpose specified.

Witness my hand this 16th day of March, A. D. 1876.

GILBEBT M. L. MCMILLEN. Witnesses:

CHAs. M. PECK, PATRIGK H. GUNoKEL. 

